Apparatus for testing the resistance of textile fabric to abrasion, flexing, and creasing



March 2, 1954 M 2,670,627

C. SHAW APPARATUS FOR TESTING THE RESISTANCE OF TEXTILE FABRIC T0ABRASION, FLEXING AND CREASING 3 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 27, 195

INVENTOR.

M R/L C. SHA w Y WWW 4L, ATTORNEYS.

March 2. 1954 c. SHAW 2,670,627

APPARATUS FOR TESTING THE RESISTANCE OF TEXTILE FABRIC T0 ABRASION,FLEXING AND CREASING Filed Feb. 27, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 no In RINVENTOR. k v NYE/L C. SHA w.

{ M owl Z.) nrromvzrs- Patented Mar. 2, 1954 APPARATUS FOR'TESTING THERESISTANCE OF TEXTILE FABRIC T'O ABRASION, FLEX- ING, AND CREASINGMyril' 0. Shaw, Stilton, N. J., assignor to Asbestos Textile Institute,New Brunswick, N. J., an associati'on Application February 27, 1953,Serial No. 339,333

This invention relates to apparatus for testing resistance of textilefabric to abrasion, flexing and creasing. The invention has been foundto be especially adapted for testing the wearability of .asbestostextiles and other fabrics of the heavier grades.

The relative wearability of a textile reflects the extent to which suchcloths may resist loss in strength and structure as a result of: (1)abrasion induced by foreign materials constantly or intermittentlyacting upon the surface of the cloth, (2) the wear resulting from twofaces of the same or similar cloths rubbing against each other, and (3)a flexing action wherein the cloth may be periodically subjected to acreasing or folding action.

In asbestos safety clothing, draperies, and similar applications, all orthe above factors are infiuential and frequently the most significant inthe ultimate destruction of such textiles.

This invention provides for the application of the destructive actionsof abrasion, flexing and creasingsimultaneously and thereby provides ameans of testing which simulates the service conditions encountered byfabric when used in clothing, draperies; etc. I

Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will morefully appear from the following description, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the machine as viewed from the drive end;

v Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale showing furtherdetails of the means for holding the specimens being tested and of the 4Claims. (Cl. 73159) means for securing the abrasive layer to theabrasive roll.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing further details of a typicalclamping bar for securing the specimen to the carrying roll or cylinder.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken at 55 of Fig. 1 showing furtherdetails of the journal mounting for the abrasive cylinder; and

Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are schematic views showing successive positions ofthe test specimens during the operation of the machine.

In general the machine comprises (Fig. 1) two rolls such as thecylinders, designated in general as I and 2, rotatably journaled in endframes, designated in general as 3 and 4, in such manner that thesurfaces of rotation of the rolls are parallel. The cylinder I serves tohold specimens or strips of material to be tested, designated ingeneralas S, and the cylinder 2 serves to hold and carry suitableabrasive material for abrading the material to be tested. The abrasivematerial is most conveniently provided in the form of sheets which aresuitably secured around the periphery of cylinder 2 and in the presentembodiment I have successfully used for this purpose No. 1 gradeCarborundum cloth. In certain cases it may be desired to use as anabradenta strip of fabric of the same character as that being tested.Preferably the cylinder I is substantially larger that the cylinder 2and in the embodiment of the invention which has been successfullyoperated and is herein disclosed the cylinder I is 6" in diameter andcylinder 2 is 2" in diameter.

The cylinders I and 2 are suitably driven in the same direction ofrotation so that their surfaces move in opposite directions. Thespecimens are secured to cylinder I in such manner that when thecylinder is rotated the specimens assume an open loop formation. Thecylinders I and 2 are so disposed that the peripheral surface of thecylinder I and the peripheral abrasive surface on the cylinder 2 arespaced apart a minimum predetermined distance in accordance with thematerial to be tested, and for this purpose provision is made to adjustsuch spacing. I have found for relatively thick asbestos fabric and thelike material this distance should be three times the thickness of thematerial to be tested. In the preferred method of operation the loops ofmaterial to be tested are of such length that they extend outwardly fromcylinder I a distance substantially greater than the diameter ofcylinder 2 so that the forward face of the loop specimens Will bebrought into engagement with the abrasive surface and due to theopposite direction of travel of said surface the loops will becomepartially wrapped about cylinder 2 andthereafter the loop will beprogressively flattened and will be pulled through the limited spacebetween rolls I and 2 to thereby positively crease the material.

Further details of the machine will now be'described with particularreference to Figs. 1 and 2. The end frames 3 and 4 are rigidly securedand extend upwardly from the base plate Iii and are held in parallelspaced apart relation by means of cross plates II and I2. The roll orabrasive cylinder 2 in the present embodiment comprises a shaft or axlemember I3 whose outer ends are rotatably journaled in suitable bearingscarried. byth respective bearing blocks It and i5 which are slidablymounted in the end plates 3 and 4. These blocks are constructed in asimilar manner and therefore it will only be necessaryto describe themounting of the block I4. The block I4 has a sliding fit within anopening provided in the end frame 3 and carries pressed therein theouter race of an anti-fraction bearing IS, the inner race of whichreceives the shaft end. The block I4 is yieldably held in a directionaxially of the bearing by plates Il-Is disposed on opposite faces of theend frame 3 and held in position by means of screws, such as I9, andcooperating nuts, such as 28, a resilient member, such as spring 2|,being interposed between the head of the screw and adjacent plate so asto permit a slight movement of the bearing block Hi out of the plane ofthe end frame 3 for purposes to be hereinafter described. The shaft I3carries a plurality of cylinder sections, such as the three sections 22and the section 22b, which are presently made of steel and are clampedtogether by means of nuts 23 and 24 threadingly engaging the shaft l3.The cylinder sections jointly form the length of the cylinder. Each ofthe cylinder sections except one of the end sections, designated 22b, isprovided with a radially extending recess or groove 25 (Fig. 3) forreceiving the inwardly turned opposite ends of a strip of abrasivematerial A and a locking key 25 which serves to wedge the ends of theabrasive strip in the recess and hold the said strip tightly in positionaround the periphery of the roller section. The recesses 25 of therespective roller sections 22 are preferably staggered so as to avoidhaving the slight gap of the abrasive at this point continuous from oneend of the roll to the other. This provision also permits securin to therespective cylinders strips having different abrasive characteristicswhen this is deemed desirable. The cylinder section designated 2% isprovided with an ungrooved surface so that its periphery is continuousand this section thereby presents a smooth metallic surface for purposesof comparative testing. This section may be slightly larger than theother sections so that its uncovered diameter may be approximately thesame as the cover or diameter of the remaining sections.

The journal blocks I4 and I are provided with inwardly extending lugsIt. and I5 in vertical alignment with fixed lugs 3' and i carried by therespective end frames 3 and 4 and helical compression springs 21 and 28interposed between the respectively cooperating pairs of lugs. Thesesprings are sufficiently stiff so that the cylinder 2 will exert thedesired pressure against the specimens bein tested during normaloperation but will yield upon abnormal pressure, such, for example, asif a test specimen should break and be deformed into a thickness greaterthan the space provided between the rolls. The slightly yieldablemounting of the journal blocks I l and I5 will permit one end of theshaft is to be depressed more than the other when required.

Test specimen roll The roll I preferably comprises a cylindrical shell30 (Fig. 2), which in the present embodiment is made from well seasonedhard wood but which may be made from suitable plastic material, carryingrigidly secured at its opposite extremities ends SI and 32 havingrigidly formed therewith stub axles 33-34 rotatably mounted in suitablebearings 35-36 carried by journal blocks 31-38 mounted in the end frames3 and 4 in such manner as to permit vertical movement butpreventhorizontal movement axially of the cylinder I or horizontal movement ina transverse direction thereto. The journal blocks 3'! and 38 are heldin the desired vertical position by means of screws 39 and 40threadingly engaged in portions of the end frames 3 and 4 and providedwith suitable means, such as the finger wheels 4i l2, by which theymaybe adjusted so as to support the journal blocks in the desired adjustedposition. The journal blocks are locked downwardly against thesupporting screws 39 and 40 by suitable means, such as the set screws 43and 4 2. By this means the axis of the cylinder I may be set in thepredetermined fixed position to provide the desired space between thecylinders l and 2 and to maintain the cylinders in parallelrelationship.

The stub shaft 33 (Fig. 1) extends outwardly beyond the frame 3 andcarries secured thereto a pulley 50 drivingly engaged by a belt 5! whichis driven by a pulley 52 secured to the output shaft of a gear box 53which is drivingly connected to an electric motor 54, which in thepresent embodiment serves as the motive means for driving the machine.The opposite stub shaft 34 (Fig. 2) extends outwardly beyond the frame 4and carries secured thereto a sprocket wheel 35 in driving engagementwith a chain '56 which in turn is in driving engagement with a sprocketwheel 51 secured to the corresponding outwardly extending end 58 of theaxle I3 of cylinder 2. The chain 56 is somewhat longer than required toencompass the sprockets 55 and 51 and passes around an idler roller 59which is journaled on an arm 60 whose lower end is pivotally supportedin a shaft end 58 and whose outer end carries a weight 6i. Thisarrangement keeps the chain tight while at the same time permitting suchmovement of the roller I upwardly and downwardly as required to obtainthe predetermined position of the axis of rotation. It will be seen fromthis that the rollers l and 2 are rotated in the same direction andtherefore their peripheral surfaces move in opposite directions.

Fastening means for test specimens The cylindrical shell 30 of the rollI is provided with parallel axially extending grooves of such depthradially inwardly as to accommodate means for clamping the ends of testspecimens below the surface of the cylinder. The device is adapted tosupport three specimens spaced equidistant around the periphery of thecylinder I and for this purpose three pairs of grooves are utilized. Thepair of grooves illustrated in Fig. 3 being designated 62-63 and thegrooves of each pair are spaced apart so as to hold the ends of the testspecimen in circumferentially spaced apart relationship. As a means ofsecuring the ends of the test specimens in these grooves clamp bars(Fig. 4), such as 64, are employed. These clamp bars are preferablycylindrical and are provided with a slot 65 extending therethrough. Inthe present embodiment these slots are about 2" long to accommodatespecimen strips of this width and the over-all length of the bar isapproximately 3. These bars are provided with holes extendingtherethrough spaced outwardly beyond the ends of the slots 65 forreceiving screws, such as 66, whose heads are recessed below the surfaceof the bar. The ends of the strip of material to be tested are insertedin the slots 65 in the direction shown in Fig. 3 and thereafter the barsare secured in position by means of the screws 66 which serve tosecurely clamp the ends of the strip of material in position on the testspecimen roll I. It will be seen with reference to Fig. 3 that the rollbars permit the 5. specimen loop to be folded oven-without damage to thematerial being tested: r

g In the present embodiment the machinev is adapted toaccommodate fourseries of test specimens each comprising three (i. e twelve in all) and.therefore each of the grooves is of sufficient length toaccommodate fourof the clamp bars 64 in axial alignment.

Operation With the machine constructed and arranged as above describedthe cylinders will beadiusted so that the space between thecircumference of the cylinder l and the abrasive circumference of thecylinder 2 will be substantiallyequal to three times the thickness ofthe strips of material S. I have found that this is a satisfactorydistance to accommodate the double thickness of the collapsed loops ofmaterial and the crease at the outer edge of the collapsed loops andserves to give the degree of abrasion, flexing and. creasing desired.With the specimen loops secured in the position above described theoperation is as follows, referring more particularly to Figs. 6-9,inclusive. In the position shown in Fig. 6 the specimens SI, S2 and S3due to the manner in which they are mounted and the rotation ofthecarrying cylinder assume open loop formations as indicated. In theposition shown in Fig. '7, some 30 later in the cycle of operation,specimens S2 and S3 are still in fully flexed positions, due tocentrifugal force, while specimen SI is making positive contact with theabrasive medium on cylinder 2 and is being wrapped around the abrasivesurface on cylinder 2. Little or no abrasion is effected at this pointbut as the cycle advances specimen SI is tightly wrapped around theabrasive cylinder, as shown in Fig. 8, and is being abraded through theaction of the abrading surface moving in the opposite direction to thepath of travel of the specimen. As specimen I further advances to theposition shown in Fig. 9 it is subjected to the final abrasive actionand creasing prior to emergence with subsequent flexing and opening, asshown by the specimen S2 in Fig. 2, and thereafter the foregoing stepsare repeated during each revolution of the cylinder. It will thus beseen that the material being tested first slaps against the abradingsurface, is then dragged over this surface and creased and upon emergingfrom between the rolls flexes out into an open loop preparatory to arepetition of the same treatment. This continues for the duration of thetest. I have obtained entirely satisfactory results, for example, by theuse of a machine in which the cylinder I rotates at 100 R. P. M. and thecylinder 2 at 50 R. P. M. This means that the above described cycletakes place at the rate of 100 C. P. M. for the duration of the test. Asabove indicated, the present embodiment accommodates twelve specimens,nine of which will come in contact with an abrasive covering on thecorrespondingthree cylinder sections and the remaining three specimenswhich come in contact with the smooth section 221) of the roll arereserved and represent the unabraded specimens which are utilized in thefinal evaluation.

According to the preferred procedure, three of the specimens workingagainst the abrasive material and preferably comprised in one of thecircumferential zones are run for one-half hour and then removed formeasurement. Three additional specimens in another one of thecircumferential zones are run for a total of one hour 6 andthenxremovedland the. three remaining test specimens subjected 'to'abrasion are run to the point of destruction or until-a total lapsedtime of 180. mi-mxtes has beenxconsumed. The three specimenswhicharcmounted to work over the smoothsurface. of the: cylinder.wherein-no or little abrasion-is evidenced; are run for the full minutesand serve to indicate the flexural strength of the; specimens in thisgroup.

Having thus described my invention with particularitywith reference-tothe. preferred apparainis',andv having referred to some of thepossiblemodifications thereof, it willbeobviousto those skilled in the art,after understanding my invention, that other changes and modificationsmaybe made without departing from the. spirit and scope of my invention,and I aim in the appended claims to cover such changes and'modificationsas are within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a firstrotatably mounted roll provided with a plurality of pairs of axiallyextending substantially parallel grooves, the grooves of each pair beingspaced apart and the pairs being spaced apart circumferentially, meansfor securing within said grooves below the circumference of said rollrespectively opposite ends of strips of material to be tested with theends of each of said strips disposed in respective pairs of saidgrooves, whereby said strips may assume an open loop formation uponrotation of said first roll, a second rotatably mounted roll providing asurface of rotation substantially parallel to and in closely spacedrelation to the surface of rotation of said first roll for carrying anabrasive surface against which said material is pressed, and means forrotating said rolls in the same direction.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a firstrotatably mounted roll provided with a plurality of pairs of axiallyextending substantially parallel grooves, the grooves of each pair beingspaced apart and the pairs being spaced apart circumferentially, meansfor securing within said grooves below the circumference of said rollrespectively opposite ends of strips of material to be tested with theends of each of said strips disposed in respective pairs of saidgrooves, whereby said strips may assume an open loop formation uponrotation of said first roll, a second rotatably mounted roll providing asurface of rotation substantially parallel to the surface of rotation ofsaid first roll for carrying an abrasive surface against which saidmaterialis pressed, and means for rotating said rolls in the samedirection, said rolls being adjustably mounted to thereby provide for apredetermined spacing in accordance with the material being operatedupon.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a firstrotatably mounted roll provided with a plurality of pairs of axiallyextending substantially parallel grooves, the grooves of each pair beingspaced apart and the pairs being spaced apart circumferentially, meansfor securing within said grooves below the circumference of said roll.respectively opposite ends of strips of material to be tested with theends of each of said strips disposed in respective pairs of saidgrooves, whereby said strips may assume an open loop formation uponrotation of said first roll, said strip securing means including aplurality of clamping means disposed in longitudinal alignment in eachgroove for securing a like plurality of corresponding ends of specimensin each groove, whereby said roll may accommodate a number of specimensequal to the product of the number of said pairs of grooves and thenumber of said clamping means, a second rotatably mounted roll providinga surface of rotation substantially'parallel to the surface of rotationof said first roll for carrying an abrasive surface against which saidmaterial is pressed, and means for rotating said rolls in the samedirection, said rolls being adjustably mounted to thereby provide for apredetermined spacing in accordance withthe material being operatedupon.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a firstrotatably mounted roll provided with a plurality of pairs of axiallyextending substantially parallel grooves, the grooves of each pair beingspaced apart and the pairs being spaced apart circumferentially, clampbars of a diameter less than the depth of said grooves for securingwithin said grooves below the circumference of said roll respectivelyopposite ends of strips of material to be tested with the ends of eachof said strips disposed in respective pairs of said grooves, wherebysaid strips may assume an open loop formation upon rotation of saidfirst roll, a second rotatably mounted roll provided with an abrasivesurface of rotation substantially parallel to the surface of rotation ofsaid first roll and in such predetermined spaced relation thereto thatsaid material is pressed against said abrasive surface by said firstroll, and means for rotating said rolls in the sam direction.

MYRIL C. SHAW.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,010,049 Abbott Aug. 6, 1935 2,482,381 Stevens Sept. 20, 19492,519,556 Fish Aug. 22, 1950 2,561,133 Petkewicz July 17, 1951 2,590,839Clapham Apr. 1, 1952

